Egypt puts over 200 on trial, accused of militant activity

A man, one of 200 people charged with belonging to the Ansar Bait al-Maqdis group, stands in a metal cage during their trial in a court in Cairo March 5, 2015. REUTERS/Al Youm Al Saabi Newspaper

CAIRO (Reuters) - An Egyptian court opened the trial on Thursday of 213 suspected militants, including members of the army and police, on charges of joining Egypt's most active militant group and attempting to assassinate the interior minister, judicial sources said.

Egypt has been grappling with rising Islamist militancy since then-army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ousted freely elected President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013 after mass protests against his rule.